Singapore is one of the most popular city stop-overs that we include as part of our Far East multi centre holidays. It also combines really well with an Australian multi centre trip. However, with so much to see and do, you need to make sure you plan your time well, so that when you touch down in the ‘Little Red Dot’ – a nickname affectionately used by the locals – you get to cover all these essential must do’s.
1. Gardens by the Bay
This incredible ‘City in a Garden’ has several different zones for you to explore. The Cloud Forest Garden is veiled in mist and boasts mountain views. There’s a 22m-high walkway that offers fantastic views over all the gardens and beyond, over the Marina Bay area. Its main attractions though, are its large metal tree structures that look like something from a science fiction film and dominate the area.

2. Dine at the top of Marina Bay Sands
For an extravagant lunch head to Spago on the 57th Floor of the Marina Bay Sands. Run by celebrity chef, Wolfgang Puck, the restaurant has an al fresco terrace where you can enjoy the spectacular view over the hotel’s famous infinity pool and the cityscape beyond.
3. Merlion Park
The Merlion is the city’s most iconic landmark, and is a statue part lion and part fish. The fish symbolises Singapore’s origins as a fishing village, whilst the head represents the city’s original name Singapura – which means lion city.

4. Singapore Sling at Raffles
How can you visit Singapore and not visit the island’s most famous hotel to enjoy their signature Singapore Sling?
5. The Southern Ridges
If you enjoy walking, then this unique experience allows you to get up close to nature, whilst taking in some of the best panoramic views of the city, the harbour and Southern Islands. This 10km stretch of treetop canopy trails, futuristic bridges and tranquil pathways link up some of Singapore’s most popular parks and gardens. Travel from Mount Faber Park through Telok Blangah Hill Park, HortPark and Kent Ridge Park, all the way to Labrador Nature Reserve.

6. East Coast Road
This bustling neighbourhood is famous for its colourful shops that house some of the city’s best restaurants. For us though, it’s more about just wandering through this bustling residential district to soak up Singapore’s history and heritage.
7. National Gallery Singapore
Singapore’s most popular gallery and home to Southeast Asia’s largest collection of modern art, which is spread across the City Hall and the country’s former Supreme Court.
8. Night Safari
A unique experience to wander through the world’s first nocturnal wildlife park. Once dusk has fallen, you’ll be able to get up close to its 900 magical creatures and witness their mysterious habitats. The park is home to over 100 species, many of which are endangered, so this is also a great opportunity to learn about what the park is doing for these threatened species and the conservation projects it’s involved in.
9. Singapore Botanic Gardens
Dating back to 1859, this is one of Singapore’s most popular attractions and is the most visited botanic garden in the world. If you’re interested in horticulture, it is home to an array of plants, however it is also a favourite spot for jogging, walking and relaxing.
10. Chinatown & Thian Hock Keng
While the population of the island is largely Chinese, it is Chinatown that retains most of the cultural charm and it is home to some of the island’s finest temples. Thian Hock Keng Temple, Temple of Heavenly Happiness, is one of the city’s oldest and most important. When it was completed in 1842 it was a beachfront temple and was the first stop for Chinese immigrants. The Sri Mariamman Temple is the oldest Hindu temple in Singapore. As you walk into the temple, pay special attention to the intricately carved gopuram. These gave the adjacent Pagoda Street its name and the use of colour somehow manages to stimulate all of your senses. You also shouldn’t miss The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple on South Bridge Road that gets its name from Buddha Shakyamuni’s one tooth that can be found on the fourth floor.

11. Clarke Quay
From what was the centre of trade in the 1800’s, its old warehouses have now been restored and the area is now the hub for Singapore’s dining and night-time entertainment. This large open air pedestrian area is filled with bars, restaurants, and nightclubs, with many offering waterfront tables.
12. Maxwell Food Centre
To make the most of mouth-watering local cuisine visiting a Hawker Centre is a must. Maxwell Food Centre is a firm favourite and provides you the opportunity to sample many of the island’s favourite dishes.
13. Sentosa Island
Take the cable car from Mount Faber on the mainland to the man-made Sentosa Island for fantastic views of the city. Sentosa is like a giant playground with great beaches and loads of activities; there’s Mega Adventure for zip lining, wall climbing and bungee jumping, The Luge, with a wheeled luge track, as well as Sentosa’s Universal Studios. On the beach head for the Tangoing Beach Club for an excellent laid-back brunch venue overlooking the South China Sea.

14. Shopping on Orchard Road
When in Orchard Road, you’ll start to feel what modern-day Singapore is like, which will come as a stark contrast to Chinatown. Spend some time in the shopping area to truly get the vibe and enjoy some of the region’s best shopping malls.
15. Kampong Glam
This is a traditional district selling carpets, textiles, hip local clothes and accessories. There are also plenty of eateries in the area, in addition to the Malay Heritage Centre and Masjid Sultan. Masjid Sultan is one of the most important mosques in Singapore and is steeped in the history of the area. When Singapore was ceded to the British in 1819, the area around Kampong Glam was allocated for the Malays and other Muslims. Sultan Hussain Shah of Jahore was given jurisdiction over the Little Red Dot, alongside the island’s chief Temenggong Abdul Rahman, and built a palace and the mosque befitting his status.

Exploring more than the city…
If you have time and love temples, history and relaxation, you need to take a trip to Kusu Island, which means ‘Turtle Island’ in Chinese. It’s one of Singapore’s southern islands and it will be a nice relief from the hustle and bustle of main Singapore. Sitting atop the hillock are three holy shrines of Malay saints, known as kramats. These were erected to commemorate Syed Abdul Rahman, who was a pious man, and his mother and sister. Rahman was alive in the 19th century and people pray at the kramats (though not to them) for wealth, health, harmony and a good marriage. Those struggling to conceive will also take the trip in the hope if falling pregnant. It’s 152 steps to the kramats so be sure you’re physically able before embarking on the journey. However, this isn’t all there is to see on Kusu Island: Da Bo Gong is a Chinese temple built in 1923 by a wealthy businessman and is worth a look. There are also lagoons, beaches and a tortoise sanctuary on the island.
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Parryfamily
Another fantastic trip organised by Andy - we had a wonderful two centre, two week break to Cuba - hotels were perfect, transfers seamless and many amazing memories made.Now to arrange our 2023 trip!
Posted 7 hours agoRachel
Always so fantastic with designing our holidays! Very cost effective also and choices always given on flights and hotels! Absolutely nothing is too much trouble whatsoever and they never tire of my questions and odd panic moments. You will never be disappointed with eshores ever - all our trips have been smooth with transfers etc and always great value. I wont use any other agent now, forget the high street just call eshores - I have recommended them to my family and friends over the years and they have been satisfied and delighted with the service also - every agent is great - I mostly use Hannah and Andy . So 100% Satisfied!!
Posted 1 day agoPeteH
We used eShores for the first time, for a special family trip to SE Asia. Right from the start, the service, help, advice and price we got (from Dave) was fantastic. The holiday itself was amazing, thank you eshores and Dave!
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I have used e shores pre-covid and they were and still maintain a high standard of professionalism. Very patient and I would not hesitate to use again. Thank you Chris
Posted 4 days agoDenise
What can I say. We have used Eshores for many years. Right back to when they first started in a spare room. The teams has grown since then. We have always had top class service. Before e-tickets when you had real tickets in a presentation wallet. We had a postal strike in leeds and the tickets were delivered in person, there’s no beating that. We would never trust anyone else with our holiday bookings. I would give ten stars if that was possible.
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Chris arranged our travel to meet our requirements fully. Chris was engaging and prompt in responding to changes etc. Even logged in on his day off to save the booking.
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Great response, great service! Matt couldn't have been more helpful when we had to change times and dates. Very Happy!
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Dave was efficient and responded easily to all requests, Very easy company to deal with. The proof will be whether goes smoothly without hiccups So far i am pleased with E Shore.
Posted 1 week agoUpasna
I got in touch with eShores to book a holiday to Mauritius for my husband's 50th birthday. I worked with Michelle who was absolutely brilliant and extremely responsive with her interactions. She helped us with booking Zilwa Attitude on an all-inclusive 7-night break, which was brilliant. The entire booking process was seamless with suggestions given by Michelle at every point. I was quite nervous as we hadn't travelled for a while due to the pandemic and also this was a surprise for my husband, so he wasn't involved at all. I was very nervous about not just making it the best travel experience for all of us but also worried about travelling as a whole post pandemic. I was very apprehensive about choosing the right travel agency. Michelle was extremely reassuring and gave me a lot of confidence in the whole process and e shores were absolutely fantastic the whole process. Michelle from eShores will be our regular travel agent going forward for any holidays.. I highly recommend eShores to anyone..!!
Posted 1 week agoLisaUsher
EShores have provided a fantastic service from initially discussing our plans, looking at hotel options and booking everything. The customer service provided by Andy was great and I would definitely book again with them. If you want quality service I would recommend eshores.
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